Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Politic Sc & Internat Studies
This course addresses a fundamental challenge in public policy making: the ability to formulate and carry out responses to complex problems and ensure effective delivery of core services.
The course will begin with a focus on design. Students will be introduced to the range of policy tools that governments have at their disposal, including coercion, distributing resources and persuasion through public communication. We will also consider key contemporary challenges for policy designers. For instance, how can we maintain coherence in the face of competing demands from different groups of citizens? How can policy design contribute to resilience in times of uncertainty or crisis? Is it possible to make policy for the long-term, given the short-term nature of the political cycle? Can we adequately anticipate how citizens will respond to our chosen interventions? And what role should values play in our selection of policy instruments?
However, it is not enough to formulate cleverly designed policies – without clear strategies for implementation, governments risk policy failure. Students will encounter a wide range of actors involved in service provision, regulation, communication and law enforcement, and consider their capacity to shape outcomes on the ground. We will also pay close attention to the strategies available to government to mitigate implementation barriers, such as consultation and coordination with key stakeholders, empowering ‘street-level bureaucrats’ and rebuilding state policy capacity.
Across the course, students will critically analyse the design of policies across key domains, including health, environment, defence and social policy, and think about how the process of implementation may be improved when dealing with complex policy problems. Students will explore these practical and critical insights through case study analysis and practice-oriented assessment, in which they will use conceptual tools to untangle real-world policy challenges.
Course requirements
Assumed background
This course assumes a moderate level of familiarity with public policy issues. Students with no relevant professional or educational background are advised to consult the convenor about suitable background reading or other preparation.
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
This course comprises 12 weekly seminars, commencing in Week 1. Recorded lectures (approximately 30 minutes in length) will be available via the course Blackboard and should be viewed prior to the seminar.
Aims and outcomes
This course has three main aims:
1. To introduce students to key practices, debates and theoretical approaches that inform the design and implementation of public policies;
2. To develop student ability to apply design thinking to real-world policy challenges;
3. To enable critical analysis of policy design and implementation processes across policy domains and in domestic and international contexts.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Identify key design and implementation challenges facing contemporary governments and policy actors.
LO2.
Explain theories of policy design and implementation and apply them to scenarios across multiple policy areas.
LO3.
Critically evaluate policy processes and identify causes of implementation success and failure.
LO4.
Formulate and communicate realistic plans for policy implementation, paying attention to political conditions and state capacity.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reflection | 5 x policy reflections | 10% (150-200 words per submission) |
3/03/2025 - 23/05/2025 |
| Presentation, Poster | Program logic model | 20% (five minute recorded presentation, with slides) |
26/03/2025 5:00 pm |
| Participation/ Student contribution, Role play/ Simulation |
Stakeholder engagement
|
40% (preparation & participation - 15%; engagement report – 1500 words, 25%) |
17/04/2025 |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Implementation plan | 30% (2200 words) |
23/05/2025 5:00 pm |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
5 x policy reflections
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Reflection
- Weight
- 10% (150-200 words per submission)
- Due date
3/03/2025 - 23/05/2025
Task description
In preparation for five of the twelve course seminars, students are to find a document, report, media article or other source of evidence that is relevant to their chosen policy issue (students will be working one policy issue across assessments one, two and four). In 150-200 words, they are to describe the relevance of the document to the week's content. For instance, in the week on 'Managing Partners and Contracts' (Week 9), students may identify a media article that describes a failure to develop proper oversight or accountability processes for contractor delivering health services. A good response would consider what we might be able to learn from this case and how it relates to the themes discussed in the recorded lecture and/or the required readings.
Each submission is worth two marks and five need to be completed across the semester. Reflections should be submitted prior to the relevant class.
Note that specific feedback will not be given on submissions. So long as the document/article and reflection are relevant to the content, two marks will be given.
Assessment tasks are intended to evaluate a student’s abilities, skills, and knowledge. Unless explicitly stated otherwise in the assessment instructions, assessments are to be completed without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT). Failure to comply with this direction may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Assignments for this course will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and using Turnitin.
In uploading an assignment via Turnitin you are certifying that it is your original work, that it has not been copied in whole or part from another person or source except where this is properly acknowledged, and that it has not in whole or part been previously submitted for assessment in any other course at this or any other university.
When you successfully submit your assessment to Turnitin after previewing the uploaded document (to make sure that you have chosen the correct file), you should see the “Submission Complete!” message. After this, a downloadable Digital Receipt will display on your Assignment Dashboard. It is your responsibility to download the Digital Receipt as proof of submission. Turnitin will not send this receipt to you automatically.
If you don’t see the downloadable receipt on your assignment dashboard, you should regard your submission as unsuccessful.
If the submission was not successful:
- Note the error message (preferably take a screenshot).
- Go to your assignment page and see if it is possible to submit again.
- If you cannot submit again, then email your course coordinator immediately.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Please contact the course coordinator with regards to an extension.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Unless an extension is granted, penalties for late submission apply. Students are penalised 10% of the maximum possible mark allocated for the assessment item for every calendar day that an assessment item is late.
Marks will be deducted each day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point the submitted item will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24-hour block is triggered from the time the submission is due.
Program logic model
- Mode
- Oral, Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia
- Category
- Presentation, Poster
- Weight
- 20% (five minute recorded presentation, with slides)
- Due date
26/03/2025 5:00 pm
Task description
Students are to develop a 'program logic model', based on a slide template to be provided on the course Blackboard. Program logic models are common tools used by public agencies to organise planning for policy design and implementation, and include concise description of resources, objectives and impacts of policy change.
You will also need to record a brief video 'explainer' (no more than 5 minutes in length), highlighting key points on the slide template.
Your presentation should address the same policy issue covered in your policy reflections and implementation plan.
More detailed instructions will be provided via the course Blackboard.
Submission guidelines
Record, save, and upload this recording using EchoVideo.
For more information on how to use EchoVideo, see:
- Video Assignments (Original) - eLearning - University of Queensland
- Submit a video assignment with EchoVideo (Original) - eLearning - University of Queensland
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Unless an extension is granted, penalties for late submission apply. Students are penalised 10% of the maximum possible mark allocated for the assessment item for every calendar day that an assessment item is late.
Marks will be deducted each day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point the submitted item will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24-hour block is triggered from the time the submission is due.
Stakeholder engagement
- Hurdle
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance, Written
- Category
- Participation/ Student contribution, Role play/ Simulation
- Weight
- 40% (preparation & participation - 15%; engagement report – 1500 words, 25%)
- Due date
17/04/2025
Task description
In our Week 6 class, we will be holding a mock stakeholder engagement exercise based around a real world policy challenge (to be chosen in early classes). Students will be allocated into groups, each representing a type of stakeholder (e.g. key interest groups, impacted citizens).
Note that this assessment requires class attendance in Week 6 (2 April). If you are unable to attend class due to circumstances beyond your control (e.g. illness), an alternative form of participation will be arranged with the course coordinator.
There will be two assessable components of this exercise:
1) Preparation and participation (15%)
- Each group will be required to meet prior to the class to discuss their approach to the policy problem and to ensure that they collectively represent diverse perspectives. This meeting should be recorded via Zoom, with a link provided to the course coordinator for review.
- Each student's participation in the stakeholder engagement exercise will be evaluated relative to criteria provided on the course Blackboard. This includes a short written submission to be completed at end of the class.
2) Engagement report (25%) - 1500 words
- Each student will have access to all written submissions completed during the class, as well as a recording and transcription of the class. Based on this material, students are required to produce a report intended to inform government policy design and implementation.
NOTE: You may use Artificial Intelligence tools (AI) in your preparation for this assignment, for instance to help you workshop the likely perspective of your allocated stakeholder. However, also note that a key criteria for the written assessment will be direct engagement with evidence from the stakeholder engagement exercise (e.g. the written submission and recording transcript). You will be expected to analyse and directly cite evidence (including quotations) from these materials in support of your findings.
Further information on the stakeholder exercise, allocated roles and requirements for the engagement report will all be provided via the course Blackboard.
Hurdle requirements
Students must receive a pass in the Stakeholder Engagement assessment to pass this course. Students who do not receive a pass for the Stakeholder Engagement assessment can only receive an overall grade of 3 or less for the course. Students who receive an overall score of 3 in the Course are eligible to apply for a supplementary assessment.Submission guidelines
Assignments for this course will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and using Turnitin.
In uploading an assignment via Turnitin you are certifying that it is your original work, that it has not been copied in whole or part from another person or source except where this is properly acknowledged, and that it has not in whole or part been previously submitted for assessment in any other course at this or any other university.
When you successfully submit your assessment to Turnitin after previewing the uploaded document (to make sure that you have chosen the correct file), you should see the “Submission Complete!” message. After this, a downloadable Digital Receipt will display on your Assignment Dashboard. It is your responsibility to download the Digital Receipt as proof of submission. Turnitin will not send this receipt to you automatically.
If you don’t see the downloadable receipt on your assignment dashboard, you should regard your submission as unsuccessful.
If the submission was not successful:
- Note the error message (preferably take a screenshot).
- Go to your assignment page and see if it is possible to submit again.
- If you cannot submit again, then email your course coordinator immediately.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Extensions are available for the written submission.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Unless an extension is granted, penalties for late submission apply. Students are penalised 10% of the maximum possible mark allocated for the assessment item for every calendar day that an assessment item is late.
Marks will be deducted each day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point the submitted item will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24-hour block is triggered from the time the submission is due.
Implementation plan
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 30% (2200 words)
- Due date
23/05/2025 5:00 pm
Task description
Addressing the same policy issue focused on in the Program Logic Model and the Policy Reflections, your task is to develop a detailed implementation plan for your chosen policy intervention. This plan should address: timing of actions, roles of actors and organisations, required resources, risk mitigation strategies and proposed evaluation methods.
Note that a key criteria will be engagement with evidence and in particular relevant laws, policy documents and analyses produced by government and relevant stakeholder organisations. You will be required to 'annotate' your sources used in the implementation plan, clearly describing how these informed your analysis and referring to key details/sections.
A more detailed outline of the required structure and assessment criteria will be provided via the course Blackboard.
Assessment tasks are intended to evaluate a student’s abilities, skills, and knowledge. Unless explicitly stated otherwise in the assessment instructions, assessments are to be completed without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT). Failure to comply with this direction may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Assignments for this course will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and using Turnitin.
In uploading an assignment via Turnitin you are certifying that it is your original work, that it has not been copied in whole or part from another person or source except where this is properly acknowledged, and that it has not in whole or part been previously submitted for assessment in any other course at this or any other university.
When you successfully submit your assessment to Turnitin after previewing the uploaded document (to make sure that you have chosen the correct file), you should see the “Submission Complete!” message. After this, a downloadable Digital Receipt will display on your Assignment Dashboard. It is your responsibility to download the Digital Receipt as proof of submission. Turnitin will not send this receipt to you automatically.
If you don’t see the downloadable receipt on your assignment dashboard, you should regard your submission as unsuccessful.
If the submission was not successful:
- Note the error message (preferably take a screenshot).
- Go to your assignment page and see if it is possible to submit again.
- If you cannot submit again, then email your course coordinator immediately.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Unless an extension is granted, penalties for late submission apply. Students are penalised 10% of the maximum possible mark allocated for the assessment item for every calendar day that an assessment item is late.
Marks will be deducted each day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point the submitted item will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24-hour block is triggered from the time the submission is due.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Essay Guide
The School of Political Science and International Studies Essay Guide can be downloaded from the School’s Student Support webpage.
The Guide sets out guidelines you should follow in preparing written assignments.
Essay Writing Assistance
The School of Political Science and International Studies schedules regular “drop-in” sessions designed to provide one-on-one advice and assistance in essay planning and writing.
There is no need to make an appointment and you are encouraged to bring your essay with you.
The day and time of these sessions will be finalized at the beginning of each semester and published on the Student Support webpage.
Student Services
Student services offer a variety of short courses during the semester which will help you improve your study, research and writing skills and thus your academic performance in this course.
Library Resources
UQ Library offers training in software, assignment writing, research skills, and publishing and research management.
The University’s library holdings for Political Science and International Studies are primarily located in the Central Library.
There is a help desk in the Library. Students are also welcome to contact the BEL/HASS Librarians for assistance.
Email: librarians@library.uq.edu.au
Book a Librarian Appointment (BEL/HASS faculties)
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (24 Feb - 02 Mar) |
Seminar |
Public governance and human-centred design In Week 1, we introduce cutting-edge perspectives on the design of public policies and question whether 'design thinking' approaches from other disciples (e.g. urban design and software development) can be translated to public governance and service delivery. |
Week 2 (03 Mar - 09 Mar) |
Seminar |
Service delivery and shaping behaviour We assess some of the key challenges facing policy designers, specifically in a) delivering effective services and b) accounting for and shaping citizen behaviour. For example, to what extent, and in which domains, should citizens be able to exercise 'choice'? Under which circumstances might state coercion be appropriate, or even necessary? And how might public service delivery impact on citizen trust? |
Week 3 (10 Mar - 16 Mar) |
Seminar |
Instruments, capacities and designing for effectiveness Government have a range of tools at their disposal, including financial resources, organisations, information campaigns and various forms of punishment. This week, we look at the promises and pitfalls of these tools and discuss how policy designers should go about ensuring that policies are operationally feasible, effective and politically supported. |
Week 4 (17 Mar - 23 Mar) |
Seminar |
Citizens, stakeholders and participatory design In Week 4, we turn to the participatory dimensions of policy design and especially recent trends towards 'co-design'. Our discussion this week will prepare for our stakeholder engagement exercise and assessment in Week 6. |
Week 5 (24 Mar - 30 Mar) |
Seminar |
Budgets and fiscal constraints Budget conditions are a major factor shaping, and particularly constraining, contemporary policy design. How do policy designers adapt to demands for budget savings? What are the longer-term consequences of budget 'austerity'? And are there really widespread inefficiencies to be found? We will discuss these issues particularly in the context of service delivery, such as in health and welfare programs. |
Week 6 (31 Mar - 06 Apr) |
Seminar |
Stakeholder engagement exercise Week 6 is dedicated to a stakeholder engagement exercise. Students will take on the roles of various stakeholders impacted by a real-world policy and work together to voice concerns and develop solutions. The discussion and related submissions will form the basis of on our key assessments. |
Week 7 (07 Apr - 13 Apr) |
Seminar |
Implementation: top-down, bottom-up and the long-term. In the second half of the course we move on to implementation. Rather than as separate and distinct 'stage' of the policy process, we discuss implementation as a key consideration of design itself. We also consider what 'top-down' and 'bottom-up' approaches have to offer in helping us understand how implementation happens and the role that implementers play in maintaining key policy functions beyond short-term political cycles. |
Week 8 (14 Apr - 20 Apr) |
Seminar |
Street level bureaucrats Key choices about policy implementation happen 'on the ground' or at the 'street level', by those interacting directly with the public or key stakeholders, such as teachers, nurses, social workers and lawyers. Who are these street-level implementers? And what determines the level of agency that they have? |
Week 9 (28 Apr - 04 May) |
Seminar |
Managing partners and contracts In the 21st century, many public services and programs are delivered by organisations outside of government, including by for-profit companies. Managing these relationships and contracts has therefore become a key dimension of public service work. However, critics have often raised concerns about effectiveness, fairness and value-for-money in the contracting of public services. How can we ensure that contracting processes are competitive and transparent? And to what extent can governments hold providers to account for the services they deliver? |
Week 10 (05 May - 11 May) |
Seminar |
Digital transformation Digital technology is now central to all aspects of public policy and services delivery, from health records, to taxation, to driving licenses and environmental regulation. How can governments manage the challenges of digital transformation, which include concerns around privacy and algorithmic biases? And what separates successful digitisation of public services from the infamous disasters? |
Week 11 (12 May - 18 May) |
Seminar |
Self-determination For our penultimate class, we consider the concept of 'self-determination', particularly as it relates to Indigenous Peoples in Australia. Self-determination poses challenges to traditional understandings and practices of design of implementation and entails (to varying degrees) a shifting of authority and agency away from the state to specific communities. This week's material will examine how self-determination differs from even more participatory approaches like co-design and how instruments like treaties may reshape policymaking, while also discussing the broader political factors that have sometimes limited the scope of self-determination. |
Week 12 (19 May - 25 May) |
Seminar |
Critical perspectives on design and implementation In the final week of the course, we recap key themes and consider more critical perspectives on policy design. In particular, how do ensure that 'design thinking' does not ignore the broader political factors that shape the boundaries of the possible. |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.